I'm looking for an (relatively) inexpensive router (i.e. $100 or less) that has at-least 4 gigabit lan port, no wireless and no inbound vpn capabilities.

Due to where it's going to be installed, we do not want to have a router with wireless or vpn inbound even of those function are disabled.

Simplistically, we are looking for the equiv of a BEFSR41 that is Gigabit instead of FastE.

It's looking like that type or router does not exist anymore (found ref to an old ASUS RX3141 that might have done the trick), unless you get into the more expensive commercial devices....

My fall back is a 10/100 wired only router with a gigabit switch behind it.

On a more theoretical side, why is it these days, that all the manufacturers think that if you want gigabit, you must also want to have VPN or Wireless?..... (unless you are a business with $$$ to spend)...

Little Brutus

ilya

July 30, 2012 08:32 AM

You aren't going to find a non-enterprise (ie: inexpensive) router that meets your requirements. You'd be better off building your own router or hacking apart an existing one. Your fall back solution would work as well.

As to why consumer routers always have wireless/VPN features, it's simply because more features makes for easier marketing. Consumer level requirements don't include bulletproof security so just giving the option to disable wireless is good enough.

Chareon

July 30, 2012 08:53 AM

Yeah, sounds like your fallback option is going to be your best bet.

As mentioned manufacturers are adding wireless to pretty much all of their routers because that is where the market is right now. Aside from the few very rare cases, most people want wireless functionality in their router, so hence that is what the products are catering towards. As for VPN functionality, it is another marketing point, and is simply software so very cheap to add.

grinder

July 30, 2012 09:07 AM

good luck with that

it's a competitive market and manufacturers will add on in-expensive features to try and edge out a sale. More is better than quality right? :P

Little Brutus

July 30, 2012 09:25 AM

Pretty much expected that.

A little disappointing that there are a bunch (at least a selection) of wired only 10/100, but no gigabit.

Going to be a bit more of an issue in the future when broadband connections routinely exceed 100mbit.

More annoying is that what I'm looking for USED to exist <GRIN>.

Personally I dislike the "all in one device" solutions. You only end up with the mediocre implementations of each (routing, wireless, switching....)

Perineum

July 30, 2012 12:12 PM

I guess we're lucky we live in Canada then, right? Those 100mbit routers are going to last us another two decades at least! :thumb:

Personally I dislike the "all in one device" solutions. You only end up with the mediocre implementations of each (routing, wireless, switching....)

Kind of contradicting yourself since even a consumer wired router is more than just a router. It's a firewall and performs NAT and switching. ;)

I say just buy a wireless router and cut off the antennas leads. Majority of routers are pretty easy to open up.

If you buy any old wired-only router, it's going to have much slower routing performance compared to the current crop of wireless routers.

Just make sure you put a strong password on the admin interface and you should be fine IMO. If you want to go further, somehow prevent access to the reset button on the router. Super glue a piece of metal/wood over it or do something along those lines.